Only 1.97 crore ITRs filed with 12 days left — and no extension in sight

With just 12 days left before the 31 July 2026 deadline for ITR-1 and ITR-2 filers, the numbers coming out of the Income Tax Department are stark: more than 1.97 crore returns have been filed so far for AY 2026-27, well short of the 7-crore mark the department had reached by the same point in earlier filing seasons.

Why the pace is slower this year

Tax professionals point to a mix of factors — many taxpayers waiting on Form 26AS/AIS data to fully populate, others simply procrastinating until closer to the deadline, and a general pattern where the bulk of filings always lands in the final weeks. The department itself flagged the pickup: over 10 lakh returns were filed in a single day recently, a sign that volumes are starting to build as the cut-off nears.

Don’t expect a repeat of last year’s extension

Unlike previous seasons, when delayed ITR form and utility releases forced the government’s hand, this year’s forms and Excel utilities for ITR-1 and ITR-4 were live on the e-filing portal from May 2026 — months ahead of the deadline. Tax experts say that removes the department’s usual justification for pushing the date, and caution taxpayers against banking on a grace period this time.

What this means for you

• File now, not in the last week. Portal traffic historically spikes hard in the final days before 31 July, slowing down submission and e-verification.
• Reconcile with Form 26AS and AIS first so your return isn’t flagged for mismatches, which can hold up processing regardless of when you file.
• Late filing has real costs, even a day past the deadline: a late fee under Section 234F, 1% monthly interest on unpaid tax, loss of the old tax regime on a belated return, and forfeiture of the right to carry forward most capital or business losses.

If you’re still weighing regime choice or want to check your final tax outgo before you file, run the numbers on the income tax calculator or the old regime calculator.

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Source: India.com — Alert taxpayers: Why Income Tax department may not extend filing deadline after July 31?. Track filing statistics and file your return on the Income Tax Department portal.